Can this shoot regular loads or is it a Black powder gun?? Only name and address on side of barrel (two Lines) serial number under hand grips (Had to remove them to see it) 2 1/2 inch barrel. Also I figured it out to be year made aprox 1890 to 1941 On top of gun says Safety Hammer double action. Serial number is 8864. Any info helpful....Mostly what ammo can I use safely?? On the hammer part it says Pat april 1887 Thanks in advance.

Those were fairly strong guns and I have fired ones like it for years with regular factory ammunition. Ammunition makers keep the pressure levels to that of black powder ammo just because they know their ammo will be fired in the old guns.

I see no reason not to fire that gun, but they were not made for extended firing; they won't blow up, but parts wear out rapidly.

So many were made that the few H&R collectors are interested only in ones in the best condition. Ones in average condition go for around $100 or less; that "safety hammer" might bring a bit more.

The name was a bit of hype or even fraud. Iver Johnson had its "safety" revolver with a transfer bar device which prevented the gun from firing if the hammer was struck or the gun dropped on the hammer. H&R had no similar device, but felt the need to compete. So they simply removed the hammer spur (effectively making the gun a double-action only (DAO) revolver. The "safety" part came in because with no hammer spur, it was less likely for the gun to fire if it were dropped. But note the "less likely". The IJ revolvers could NOT fire, where the H&R Safety was only less likely to do so.

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